Hokies' bowl opponent UCLA turns around in last two seasons under Jim Mora

Norm Wood, nwood@dailypress.com

Prior to coach Jim Mora's arrival last season, UCLA had grown accustomed to the view from the bottom half of the Pac 12, finishing with a losing record in four of five seasons before 2012.

It hasn't taken Mora long to restore hope in Westwood.

"I have a really good thing going," said Mora, who will lead No. 17 UCLA on Dec. 31 when it takes on Virginia Tech (8-4) in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. "The commitment that our administration has shown to football is resounding. I think it gives us a chance to be a national power, and that's what we're after."

UCLA (9-3), which won the Pac 12 South Division title last season, is suddenly vying to become the most glamorous college football program in a city long captivated by the University of Southern California. Here's a primer on what UCLA has done this season:

Storylines

1. Though it's a long way from the kind of dominance Tech has had against its main rival (10-game winning streak against Virginia), UCLA also is enjoying prosperous times against the guys it loathes the most. By defeating No. 23 USC 35-14 on Nov. 30, UCLA has won two straight games against the Trojans for the first time since the 1997 and '98 seasons. The victory improved UCLA's record this season against ranked opponents to 2-3. It was the kind of Pac-12 win that helped restore momentum after back-to-back midseason road losses to No. 13 Stanford and No. 3 Oregon, and a home loss to No. 17 Arizona State the week before the USC game.

2. After leading UCLA to an 18-8 record thus far in Mora's first two seasons in L.A., retaining him became a top priority for the Bruins' athletic administration. When Steve Sarkisian left Washington early this month to take the USC job, Washington went after Mora to try to get him to be the next coach at his alma mater. No chance. Not with UCLA primed to continue its run. It quickly signed Mora to a contract extension intended to keep him at UCLA through the 2019 season.

3. As UCLA moves forward, there's ample reason for optimism, especially considering every offensive standout is slated to return next season other than senior wide receiver Shaquelle Evans (leads team with 43 catches for 617 yards and eight touchdowns). The big question will be whether quarterback Brett Hundley decides to join the party. He's a redshirt sophomore, so he could opt to forgo his remaining college eligibility and turn pro. Hundley, who has completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 2,845 yards, 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions to go along with a team-best 587 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, will provide a serious test for Tech's talented, but young cornerbacks. If he comes back next season, he'll be a top candidate to win the Heisman Trophy.

4. Which team will have more to gain from a win? A 9-4 season would indicate a strong move toward keeping things headed in the right direction after Tech dipped to 7-6 last season, but UCLA is aiming for its first 10-win season since 2005. Mora is planning to go at bowl practices differently than he did last season, according to the Los Angeles Times. UCLA lost 49-26 to Baylor last season in the Holiday Bowl.

5. True freshman cornerbacks Kendall Fuller (six interceptions, 16 passes defended) and Brandon Facyson (five interceptions, 12 passes defended) have been essential figures in Tech's defensive-minded approach, but UCLA has had its own dynamic, do-everything true freshman in Myles Jack. He earned Pac 12 defensive and offensive freshman of the year honors. He has 70 tackles at linebacker, and he's played running back in the last four games, gaining 267 yards and seven touchdowns.

Other players to watch

LB Anthony Barr (6-foot-4, 248 pounds, Sr.) | His 62 tackles, including 20 for losses and 10 sacks, to go along with five forced fumbles helped him pick up the Lott Impact Trophy as the nation's top defensive player.

LG/LT Xavi Su'a-Filo (6-3, 305 pounds, Jr.) | A versatile, mature lineman who has started all 38 games he's played. After serving a two-year Mormon mission, he returned to the team in 2012 and has continued to improve.

RB Paul Perkins (5-10, 196 pounds, RFr.) | He's been a solid contributor in both the ground game and passing attack, with 570 yards rushing and five touchdowns to go along with 23 catches for 286 yards.

Key numbers

45.5 — UCLA career-record for tackles for losses, which Barr is only four away from tying